Roadrunner

The bird showed minimal interest in me as s/he trotted past at a modest Roadrunner speed. They can reach 20mph if the situation demands.

The path was wide and he took the center of it. I couldn't have been happier with his demeanor and lack of concern.

Roadrunners are meat eaters. Eating mostly small mammals, lizards and insects, they patrol the ground for their food. Ground-nesting birds are fair game for this carnivore.

Unlike most birds, it's uncommon to see a Roadrunner in a tree, but it happens.

Being weak fliers, they prefer to run down their prey and are quite adept at killing rattlesnakes.

Speckled in a random brown pattern, he dresses in sunshine this cool morning.

November nights are cold so allowing the sun inside his feathers warms his body faster.

The messy undercoat is there for warmth...

...while the blues, greens and gold are to impress the opposite sex.

Sufficiently warmed, he's off on a hunt. Two feet long and traveling on two feet, he must be aware of coyotes. As fleet as he is, coyotes are twice as fast...40mph.

And coyotes are in the area too.

(click any picture to enlarge)

Allan

Credit:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds